The Night Wing

Chapter 2

Percy thought he was hallucinating. A black arrowhead was embedded in Kelli's flank, who whipped around, searching for the one who had shot it, before crumbling to dust. 

The boy ( Percy guessed he was a boy, but he couldn't really tell since the hood and mask covered up his whole face) who shot the arrow slid out from behind a large boulder. Before the other two empousa could react, he silently and swiftly pulled out a silver hunting knife and threw it at a surprised empousa, and it shared the same fate as Kelli. 

The last empousa tried to run, but the boy outran it, running silently after it, and slicing through it with a sword that just seemed appear out of thin air. 

He looked up from the remains of the empousa, wiping the monster dust from his blade. He snorted, muttering a few things that Percy couldn't catch.

Percy ran to Annabeth, wincing slightly as he moved his sword arm. Annabeth had a nasty cut on her arm. 

Percy turned around warily, as the strange boy circled him. Although he had just helped them, this was Tartarus. No one here would help demigods. He raised Riptide and charged, still dazed from the pain.

The boy calmly faced him, knocked Riptide out of his hands in one fluid motion, and pressed his blade against Percy's throat. 

Percy gasped. No one since Chrysaor had beaten him this fast. However, him being weakened from the empousa probably didn't help him.

The boy made 'tsk tsk' sound. "It isn't very polite to try to kill someone who helped you, is it?" he said. His voice was slightly hoarse, like hadn't used it a lot, but it had a musical quality to it.

"Who are you?" Percy asked, edging away. If he could just stall him long enough to get Riptide... But the boy must've predicted it, because he pressed the blade closer to Percy's throat. 

"Me? My identity is not your concern. However, yours is my concern," the boy said, glancing at Annabeth, who struggling to stand. "And who your companion is." 

Percy frowned. "Why do you think I would tell you my name? I don't even know you." 

The boy sighed. "I swear on the River Styx that I mean no harm to you, and that I have no intention of hurting you, or your companion." A booming noise rocked the red-tinted sky above them. 

Percy shared a look with Annabeth, and though it was hesitant, Annabeth nodded to Percy, signaling to tell the boy their names. 

Percy opened his mouth to speak, but the boy cut him off. "Wait. First things first. You need to get healed." He said, walking over to Percy, and touching his gashes. 

Percy felt warm tingling went up his spine, and the pain cleared from his eyes. The boy  slid over to Annabeth, who was still on the ground. She flinched, but as soon  as the boy's hand touched her wounds, they healed without a trace. 

The boy stood up, as Percy helped Annabeth up. They turned to the boy, who was retrieving his hunting knife, and the arrow he had shot Kelli with. He cam back, and nodded at them to continue. 

Percy started first. "My name is Perseus Jackson, Son of Poseidon, Hero and Savior of Olympus, Slayer of Medusa, the Minotaur, the Three Furies, the Hydra, Kronos the Titan Lord,  Polybotes, Otis, Ephialtes, many other Titans and monsters, Retriever of Zeus' Master Bolt, Sailor of the Sea of Monsters, Bearer of the Sky, Navigator of the Labyrinth, Bearer of the Curse of Achilles, Praetor of the Twelfth Legion, Retriever of The Eagle Standard, and Defeater of Ares." The boy had been silent as Percy said his titles.

He held up his hand as Percy stopped. "I sense that there are more titles, but I will stop you there." The boy gestured to Annabeth, "Your turn."

"Annabeth Chase, daughter of Athena, Heroine of Olympus,  Slayer of many monsters, Sailor of the Sea of Monsters, Bearer of the Sky, Navigator of the Labyrinth,  Retriever of the Athena Parthenos, Survivor of the Mark of Athena, and Defeater of Arachne." Annabeth's titles were relatively shorter than Percy's but either the boy didn't notice, or he didn't care. Percy decided on the latter. 

The boy looked from Annabeth to Percy. "Well, since you introduced yourselves, you can call me Shadow." He said, turning away from Percy and Annabeth. 

"So, Shadow is your name?" Percy asked, not lowering his guard completely. "No. It is simply name I give to people who do not know me. And, might I ask: what are the two heroes of Olympus doing down here?" Shadow asked, running his finger down his silver hunting knife.

"We, um, fell?" It came out more of a question than a statement, and Percy could sense that Shadow narrowed his eyes. 

"From the mortal world. You fell from the mortal world." Shadow said, more of a skeptical statement than anything else. 

"Yes," Annabeth cut in. "We were—" Shadow cut her off. "As much as I would like to hear your story, both of you and I are not safe here, so I must be going." He said, turning and walking briskly away.

"Wait!" Percy called. Shadow turned. "Can you help us?" 

"Help you?" Shadow inquired, shifting his gaze from Percy to Annabeth, then back to Percy. "What do you mean 'help you'?" He asked. 

"We need to get back to the mortal world." Annabeth said. "Can you help us in getting to the mortal world?" They held their breath. 

Shadow seemed to ponder this for a moment. "Hmm...I don't see why not. But..." He trailed off looking in the direction of the Phlegethon. "I would like to hear your story first. Come, follow me." He said setting off in the direction of the rocky cliff sides. 

Percy and Annabeth looked at each other for support, and followed Shadow.